Your Ferry Questions Answered

Ferry Q&A is where you can have your questions about Bay Area ferry service answered by the professionals who speak for the ferry systems on a daily basis.

Long lines for the ferry can mean some passengers will be left behind if boats reach capacity. Photo by Joel Williams

Published: February, 2019

Ferry Q&A is where you can have your questions about Bay Area ferry service answered by the professionals who speak for the ferry systems on a daily basis. Thomas Hall is the public information and marketing manager for WETA, the agency that runs the San Francisco Bay Ferry service. Priya Clemens is his counterpart at Golden Gate Transit. Their answers to your ferry questions are marked with a “WETA” and a “GG,” respectively.

WETA: Some of our departures can fill up due to high demand. Due to U.S. Coast Guard regulations, we cannot allow standing room only passage on our ferries, so we restrict boarding when ferries are full. Our vessels have varying passenger capacities, from 199 on the Taurus and Scorpio to 400 on the Hydrus, Argo and Cetus. Once the maximum number of passengers have boarded, all others in line must wait for the next ferry to their destination. We operate on a first-come, first-served basis and don’t allow passengers to save spots in line for others. Our schedules do denote the departures most likely to reach capacity so passengers can plan appropriately. We also make every effort to assign our ferries to minimize passengers left behind.

I’ve seen very large backups of bikes waiting in line in Sausalito. What happens if I rent a bike in San Francisco to ride over the Golden Gate to Sausalito and take the ferry back and there is no room for my bike on the return trip?

GG: Both Blue & Gold and Golden Gate Ferry take a maximum of 150 bikes per boat and have up to 17 departures between 11:20 a.m. and 9:10 p.m. during the summer season. The two largest bike rental companies offer their own system of returning rental bikes that are dropped off in Sausalito, allowing their customers to enjoy a ferry ride back to S.F. without their bikes in tow. Sausalito Bike Return has contracts with most of the smaller rental companies to offer the same type of bike return service. A third option is taxis that can take 4-6 bikes with the renters. All options cost between $12 and $20 per bike. Although some riders may have to wait up to two hours during the peak time, we have yet to strand anyone in Sausalito!

What is the ferry’s pet policy?

WETA: Service animals and service animals in training are allowed aboard San Francisco Bay Ferry. In addition, small pets in completely enclosed carriers that can fit on the passenger’s lap can be transported on San Francisco Bay Ferry as well. These pets must not be disruptive and must remain within the carrier for the duration of transit. Dogs on leashes (other than service animals or service animals in training) are not allowed, even on weekends.

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